Diaper



Feb. 14, 1950 A. BLANKENSHIP 2,497,533

DIAPER Filed Oct. 6, 1947 I 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor Feb. 14, 1950 A. BLANKENSHIP DIAPER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 6, 1347 Inventor A/mb Blankenship By w and Patented Feb. 14, 1950 DIAPER Alma Blankenship, Muskogee, kla., assignor of one-third to Dorothy Kelly and one-third to Walter Crane, both of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Application October 6, 1947, Serial No. 778,174

7 Claims. (Cl. 128-284) This invention relates generally to garments, and more particularly to an improved diaper to be worn by infants. 1

The primary object of this invention is to provide a diaper of simple form and which is very easy to manipulate and to adjust as to size.

Another object of this invention is to provide a diaper which is extremely simple to launder and which will withstand frequent laundering without fraying or other damage.

I Still another object of this invention is to pro- -vide a diaper in which the central portion thereof is padded without formation of exposed or rough edges.

,A more specific object of this invention is to provide a diaper which, in a preferred form thereof, the forward end of the diaper is secured on one side only, the diaper being so shaped as to make the fastening of the other side unnecessary when the diaper is used with very young infants.

And a last object to be specifically mentioned is to provide a diaper which is relatively inexpensive and practicable to manufacture, extremely comfortable for the infant to wear by reason of the deletion of safety pins and other bulky fastening devices, and which will give generally efficient and durable service. With these objects definitely in view, together with other objects which will appear as this description proceeds, this invention resides in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafter described in the specification, particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a material part of this application, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of this improved diaper with an infant placed thereon, the view being designed to illustrate the first step in applying the diaper;

Figure 2 is a similar view showing how the central portion is folded upwardly and secured in place;

Figure 3 is a similar view showing the diaper as worn by the infant;

Figure 4 is another perspective view showing the rear portion of the diaper as worn by an infant;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the diaper fully expanded;

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view of the diaper, taken on the line 66 in Figure 5;

Figure '7 is a top plan view of the diaper when the same is fastenedin position as worn by an infant; and,

Figure 8 is a plan view, similar to Figure 5 but showing a preferred modified form of this invention in which the snap fastener on one of the wings is deleted, and the sides of the central portion of the diaper are arcuate throughout.

Similar characters of reference designate similar or identical parts and portions throughout the specification and throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be observed that this diaper comprises a central portion IU of general rectangular shape with wing :portions. [2, l4, l6 and I8 at each corner of this rectangular central portion. Otherwise stated, thediaper is generally I-shaped, the one transverse bar terminating in the portions l4 and I8 and the other transverse bar terminating in the portions l2 and I8. The one transverse bar is extended, as at 20 from the portion l6 and this extending portion 20 comprises a semi-waistband. The extending portion 20 is provided with a plurality of snap fasteners 22 and the portion [4 is v provided with coacting snap fastener elements 24, the semi-waistband being thus adapted for adjustability as to effective length as worn by the infant, that is, provision of a plurality of equally spaced snap fastener elements which are selectively securable together makes this semiwaistband adjustable, as well as allowing for posed a considerable distance inwardly from the end of the portion l6 and in a corresponding position in the portion [6, so that the snap fastener elements 26 secured, near the extreme ends of the portions l2 and I8 may be used to fasten these ends slightly behind the hip portions of the infant. l

The central portion In of the diaper is provided with one or. more extra thicknesses of material 30 and the major .portions of the diaper will preferably be constructed of two layers 32 and 34 of easily launderable cloth, and the extra thickness 30 or pad will be marginally stitched in place, as indicated by the dash 1ine36. It is preferred that the layers of material 32 and 34 should be hem stitched together as at 38, so that the diaper has no unfinished edges.

In the modified form of this invention illus-- trated in Figure 8, one of the snap fastener elements26 and one of the snap fastener elements 28 are deleted, and the wing portion 40 is loosely retained in position when worn by the infant by reason of its extension slightly to the rear of the hip portions of the infant and the loose clamping action of the semi-waistband 42. In this form of the invention, the semi-waistband is provided with one or more snap fastener elements 34 adapted to engage other snap fastener elements 46, in the same manner as the snap fastener 22 engages the snap fastener elements 24 in the further embodiment of this invention. The other wing portion 48 is, however, provided with a snap fastener element 50 adapted to engage the snap fastener element 52, so that the side of the diaper adjacent to the semi-waistband 42 is positively held.

The operation of this invention will be clearly understood from the foregoing description of the mechanical details thereof, taken in connection with the above recitation of the objects sought to be achieved by this invention. In recapitulation, it may be again pointed out that an important feature of this invention is to provide a diaper having wing portions on the forward end thereof of a length and character adapted to aid inthe maintaining of the diaper in place on an infant, with or without the aid of snap fasteners, one pair of such snap fasteners being always provided at one side of the diaper. Other features of novelty, and features adapting this diaper for ease in handling and maximum comfort. to the infant will now be more apparent in the light of the foregoing description, and it will be evident that this invention amply achieves the objects recited above.

Minor variations may be made in this invention, without departure from the spirit and scope thereof, and this invention should be limited only by a proper interpretation of the terminology used in the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. An improved diaper comprising a enerally I-shaped portion of sheet material having a first and a second transverse bar, the first transverse bar being extended on one side to comprise a semi-waistband when the diaper is worn, means to fasten the semi-waistband to the opposite end of said first transverse bar, and means to fasten one end of the second transverse bar to said first transverse bar.

2. An improved diaper comprising a generally l-shaped portion of sheet material having a first and a second transverse bar, the first transverse bar being extended on one side to comprise a semi-waistband when the diaper is worn, means to fasten the semi-waistband to the opposite end of said first transverse bar, and means to fasten one end of the second transverse bar to said first transverse bar, said first mentioned means comprising a plurality of snap fasteners selectively engageable so that the effective length of the semi-waistband may be varied.

3. An improved diaper comprising a generally I-shaped portion of sheet material having a first and a second transverse bar, the first transverse bar being extended on one side to comprise a semi-waistband when the diaper is worn, means to fasten the semi-waistband to the opposite end of said first transverse bar, and means to fasten one end of the second transverse bar to said first transverse bar, said central portion being padded.

4. An improved diaper comprising a generally I-shaped portion of sheet material having a first and a second transverse bar, the first transverse bar being extended on one side to comprise a semi-waistband when the diaper is worn, means to fasten the semi-waistband to the opposite end of said first transverse bar, and means to fasten one end of the second transverse bar to said first transverse bar, said central portion being padded, said second mentioned means comprising snap fasteners, and said means being duplicated for similarly securing the second end of said second transverse bar.

5. An improved diaper comprising a generally I-shaped portion of sheet material having a first and a second transverse bar, the first transverse bar being extended on one side to comprise a semi-waistband when the diaper is worn, means to fasten the semi-waistband to the opposite end of said first transverse bar, means to fasten one end of the second transverse bar to said first transverse bar, said central portion being padded. said second mentioned means comprising snap fasteners, said means being duplicated for similarly securing the second end of said other transverse bar one of said wing portions being extended to comprise a semi-waistband, and terminal fastening means for said semi-waistband.

6. An improved diaper comprising a generally I-shaped portion of sheet material having a first and a second transverse bar, the first transverse bar being extended on one side to comprise a semi-waistband when the diaper is worn, means to fasten the semi-waistband to the opposite end of said first transverse bar, means to fasten one end of the second transverse bar to said first transverse bar, said central portion being padded, said second mentioned means comprising snap fasteners, said means being duplicated for similarly securing the second end of said other transverse bar, one of said wing portions being extended to comprise a semi-waistband, and terminal fastening means for said semi-waistband, one of the wing portions at said forward end extending slightly rearwardly of the hip portions of an infant when worn so that said one of said wing portions is loosely held in place when said semi-Waistband is fastened.

"7'. An improved diaper comprising a generally I-shaped portion of sheet material having a first and a second transverse bar, the first transverse bar being extended on one side to comprise a semi-waistband when the diaper is worn, means to fasten the semi-waistband to the opposite end of said first transverse bar, and means to fasten one end of the second transverse bar to said first transverse bar, said central portion being padded, said second mentioned means comprising sna'p fasteners, and said means being duplicated for similarly securing the second end of said second transverse bar, said central portion being padded.

ALMA BLANKENSHIP.v

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 20,315 Lesueur Mar. 30, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 22,135 Great Britain Nov. 20, 1895 

